Arizona ships boats. Were they onboard Dec 7th?

Interesting question.  The answer is probably not.  Here's why:  The battleships were moored in port and the ship's boats would be needed to ferry the men to shore and back.  It was Sunday, so a large portion of the crew was ashore for liberty.  Also, photos just before the attack show other ships like the Nevada with the ship's boats moored along side. 

In this picture, the Nevada is in the lower left.  You can see the Nevada's boats next to in the water:

In this picture, you'll notice there are no boats on the port side of the Arizona (can't see the starboard side):

Lastly, if you want to do an accurate model of the Arizona during the attack, you'll need to add canvas 'tent' covers over the bow, stern and midships.  This was common to do when in port.  If you look in the following picture you can see the 'tent' covers on the battleships at these locations.  The 'tent' covers have a bright reflection:

In the second picture, you can see the 'tent' cover over the stern catapault.  In the first picture, you can really see the covers on the Arizona (second ship, inboard, lower left).

Hope this helps,

Jesse

Further note:  In Paul Stillwell's book "Battleship Arizona", on page 234, he writes "Members of the crew went over the side and swam to the Arizona's boats that were tied up to quays and booms."  I think that pretty much answers it.

Also, in regards to Arizona's configuration on Dec. 7, besides the canvas 'tents', there are three other items to note:

1.  On top of the foretop is a pedestal for an air-search-radar antenna that was to be installed.  If you are using the Banner kit, it's missing.  See this pic:

2.  On the main deck level, there are two tubs (one port side, the other starboard) for 1.10"/75 antiaircraft quad machine guns.  These guns were not installed as of Dec. 7, therefore the tubs were empty.  The guns are included in the Banner kit.

3.  The boat booms would of been extended with the boats being in the water.  The Banner kit's instructions show the retracted.

If you have any other questions, please let me know.

Jesse

Great info. Thanks!

I'm already leaving off the planes, the range clocks and the guns for the tubs you mentioned. That much I've figured out. Someone asked me the other day if the ships boats were onboard or not and I must have got the most dumbfounded look on my face. I had no idea! But your logic makes sense and the Stillwell comments confirm what you say. I really need to buy that book.

I havent decided yet if I want to add the canvas sun shelters or not. I'm not building a dio or anything like that. And the covers would hide some of the detail like the PE stern catapult and the anchor chains. Decisions, decisions.

BTW, I am using the Banner/Minihobbies/ whoever else kit. Both the GMM and Tom's PE plus Tom's PE for the ships boats. Which I may now not need.

Edit to add a question.

You mentioned that the AA guns were not yet installed in the new gun tubs but you only mentioned two. There are four of those tubs in the kit and supplied in the GMM PE also. Were there going to be four of those guns or just two?

No problem.  I had never realized that the range clocks had been removed. 

I forgot about the other two AA guns on the deck level, forward.  They weren't installed either but the tubs were.

I diffently recommend getting Stillwell's book.  It's a great read and has a boatload (pun intended) of information.

Did you get the motorized Banner model or the static one?  The hull near the screws are different between the two.  The motorized one has an battery compartment in the lower hull, center.

Check out this guys build; it's amazing:

http://www.rollmodels.net/nworkbench/onlinebuild/arizona/arizona1.php

Jesse

Jesse,

I got the motorized/changed back to static kit. Comes with the steel prop shafts and the square battery box.

The build you listed is the same one I've been using for motivation and reference for my own build. The guy really knows his stuff! His work is amazing. And I primarily used his example to correct the hull where the battery powered shafts came thru. Made my won running gear and all.

GMM says that Both of Arizona's range clocks were removed by February of 41. And I've been wondering just what they were for and how they were used. I was in the Navy myself but have never figured it out.

I got the range clocks on mine but now I realize I'm wrong.  Oh well. 

The clocks have numbers on the dial from 0 to 9, clockwise. It has two hands, a long one and a short one.  The two hands indicate thousands and hundreds of yards so that individuals on board other ships can observe with binoculars the range that the guns on the Arizona are firing. 

Nothing like a Marine schooling a Sailor on how a ship works .  Just playing with you.

Jesse

usmc1371 wrote:

I got the range clocks on mine but now I realize I'm wrong.  Oh well.

Eh, who cares. I thought about putting them on just because they looked cool but decided against it.

usmc1371 wrote:

Nothing like a Marine schooling a Sailor on how a ship works .  Just playing with you.

ROTF!!! For sure! Don't tell your corp buddies or you'll never live it down. How dare you help out a squid!

So when were in the Navy?  I was in the Corps from '91 until '99.  I spent time on the USS Tarawa, Fort McHenry, Cleveland, Tripoli, and Rushmore.

Jesse

rcboater wrote:

Do you still have the propshafts?  Did they include working props?  (I'm always on the lookout for small diameter props sutiable for use in converting plastic models to Radio Control operation.)

I still have the shafts. They are just .080 steel rods, 4.750 inchs long. No props as the kit only came with the 350 scale styrene props. Not very nice ones at that. If I had been able to find resin ones I'd have used them.

Hi

In the book "Battleship Arizona. An Illistrated History" by Paul Stillwell. On page 234 there is a painting of the Arizona with the repairship Vestal outboard of her just before the attack began. It shows some of her ships boats on the boat deck, and 2 off her stern inboard side mouring "booms". This is the way I will model my 1/700 scale Arizona in diorama.

Steve H

You mentioned that the AA guns were not yet installed in the new gun tubs but you only mentioned two. There are four of those tubs in the kit and supplied in the GMM PE also. Were there going to be four of those guns or just two?